Posted: Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:50 am Post subject:
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The Age 16.7.06 has just published this latest article by Kerry Hempenstall. They flagged it up today on the Yahoo Bri forum (via Rbg3 mss.224542). It is of course well worth reading - and hope some of the Early Years people see it too. I.E:

'Forming neural links for language is relatively easy up to about age
six, and though achievable after that time, requires much more effort.
That is why effective initial teaching is so important....'

'But slow early literacy progress usually predicts a decline in
academic progress across their primary and secondary careers. Such
students increasingly lose access to the curriculum, and many are
early school-leavers.....

The recent literacy inquiry report commissioned by former education
minister Brendan Nelson called for the reintroduction of phonics, in
which children learn to read by breaking words into sounds and
syllables. This can make a huge difference to the many students for
whom reading is made unnecessarily difficult, whether the cause
involves brain anomalies (very few) or inappropriate teaching (the
vast majority). Recent inquiries in the US and Britain reached similar
conclusions.

At a time when real reform is possible, it is unfortunate that some
politicians and teacher organisations decry both the need for change
and the strong evidence upon which the inquiry's recommendations are
based. It is our children's future at stake. Time to move on this.'

Dr Kerry Hempenstall is a senior lecturer in the division of
psychology, school of health sciences, at RMIT UniversityBack to top